Chapter 92
Chapter 92
Ji Yuan listened to Wu Ying and the others complaining about things in the capital, and he finally understood why they kept their doors closed and didn't interact with others.
After they passed the military examination, they only received honorary positions. Wu Renhao was a sixth-rank guard, and the other two were seventh-rank patrol guards.
Just by accompanying the Fifth Prince to play Cuju, they were able to live in Shanqin Street. This shows how high their status is if they are truly related to the royal family.
But if you are not careful in making friends like this, you will be dragged into it.
Although they were military generals, they understood these things. After communicating with their families, they were told to play football. Then their families found a way to let them leave the capital.
As for building good relationships with other people?
Then there is no need.
In short, I hope the Fifth Prince’s interest in Cuju will wane soon, otherwise who knows how long they will have to play with the Prince.
Ji Yuan also comforted them: "You nobles are prone to getting bored with old things and love new things. Once you find new things, you will probably let go of them."
"I hope so."
Wu Ying added: "Come to think of it, after the New Year, it seems that the Fifth Prince didn't ask us to play football anymore."
Today is February 20th, and it has been almost two months.
Are we really going to let them go?
Thinking of this, everyone felt inexplicably excited.
The others who accompanied the Fifth Prince in playing Cuju wished that the Prince would always like Cuju.
They just hope that the nobleman's interest will fade away quickly so that they can go to the position they deserve.
Ji Yuan thought about it, but did not attack them.
Considering the current vacancies in the court and the fact that the court does not attach importance to the military examination, if it were not for the fear of being labeled as a laissez-faire, the military examination might not be held for ten years.
There are probably very few suitable positions for them.
And even if a position becomes available, I probably have the connections to get it first.
On the way here, I heard some scholars say that they did not go to see the teaching positions assigned to them by the Ministry of Personnel, so there is a lot of room for maneuver.
Furthermore, let’s take the Nie family, which is already very far away.
Magistrate Nie's uncle was in the Ministry of Personnel, and the position arranged for Magistrate Nie was just right, which showed that he was not unable to move.
People like them basically have to stand aside.
In comparison, it is easier to get promoted through the civil service examination. There are many prime ministers and ministers in the court who came out of the imperial examination and are willing to promote people.
But it would be difficult for the military generals.
Now that the world is at peace and there are no military merits to be gained, it is even more difficult.
However, Ji Yuan would not say these words, so as to give Wuying and the others some hope first.
And judging from their expressions, they also seem to be thinking of leaving the capital and guarding the border directly.
Even if you don't leave the capital, you can be a patrol guard.
But you must never play football with princes and nobles. This is absolutely not allowed.
They just felt bad. They had studied martial arts for so long and read so many military books, but now they were playing football with a bunch of hooligans.
The gangsters were so proud of themselves that they even lived not far from them, flirting with prostitutes every day, which made them want to vomit.
Ji Yuan comforted him, "It's just that the time is not right now. We are born with talents that will be useful. I think there will always be a time for us to display our talents."
Liu Jun sighed: "I hope so."
How happy they were when they came to take the military examination, how depressed they are now.
Wu Renhao didn't say anything. He was still exercising. Anyway, he had to exercise at any time and work was work at any time.
Wu Yingze said, "Forget it, let's not talk about this. It's good that you are here. We now have someone to talk to."
"At least it won't be so depressing."
This is true. Everyone is happy to meet old friends in a foreign place.
Ji Yuan and his companions also settled down completely in their residence in Wuying.
The team's manager had helped them find several yards here that could be rented at a relatively cheap price, so Wuying and his team chose this one.
It takes a quarter of an hour, or fifteen minutes, to walk from this place to the Imperial Examination Hall, which is considered close.
Wu Ying said: "Just focus on preparing for the exam, and leave the rest to us so that we have something to do."
Monk Ji Yuanbai and Gao Laosi thanked him again and they were settled down.
Unexpectedly, they were the scholars who settled down the fastest.
The other candidates all encountered some troubles to varying degrees.
Finding a suitable place to live is not easy.
In addition to the hotels near the Imperial Examination Hall, there are also houses nearby that can be rented.
Temples and other places that were despised in the provincial capital are now popular places in the capital. One reason is that they are quiet, and the other is that the nearby temples are not too bad.
In short, it’s not easy for anyone to be away from home.
While Ji Yuan and his friends were preparing for the exam, they were listening to the noise outside.
Because of their coming, Wu Ying and others were very happy, of course, there was also a reason that the team no longer looked for them.
Maybe the Fifth Prince has really changed his personality? He doesn't want to play football anymore?
The capital city is even more lively these days because of the upcoming Spring Examination.
All the candidates from all over the country have to prepare for this examination.
Some families are already looking for suitable candidates.
It is best if he is unmarried, has a decent family background and is handsome.
Except for his family background, Ji Yuan seems to be suitable in every way.
Wu Ying also joked: "If you go out recently, you will definitely be stopped and questioned."
"If you pass the imperial examination again, more people will definitely want you to be their son-in-law." Liu Jun also laughed.
Speaking of this, Gao Laosi also told what happened when Ji Yuan entered the city.
As soon as Ji Yuan arrived, a little girl threw flowers at him.
If I didn't know Ji Yuan was young, I might have really known him.
Ji Yuan pretended not to hear.
His mind is now full of preparation for the exam.
And there was something else hanging on his mind.
That was the "advice" given to him by his instructors before he set out.
Failed the exam directly.
Wait until three years later to take the exam again.
He now has two choices.
First, focus on the exam this year.
If you get the useless top three, then you can only get the top three.
There will naturally be limitations on your future prospects.
The second is to follow what the left and right instructors said and let him fail the exam.
Wait until three years later.
During these three years, he could go directly to the Imperial College to study with the recommendation given by Jianmeng Mansion.
After three years, he can at least get into the second class.
Of these two methods, the latter is obviously more reliable and more beneficial in the future.
He is fifteen this year and has plenty of time to wait another three years.
But will he wait?
The era is somewhat uncertain.
To be honest, the latter is a good choice.
Even he himself felt a little moved.
Dr. Luo even wanted him to study in the Imperial College, saying it would be very beneficial.
But if he really did poorly on purpose, he would feel uncomfortable and something would be weird.
It was rare for Ji Yuan to be undecided.
It’s not easy to tell this to others.
Whether it's Gao Laosi or Bai Heshang, he has a good relationship with everyone around him.
But they were all preparing for the exam with all their might, but I had a backup plan, which I felt would dampen everyone's morale.
And not everyone has a place in the Imperial College.
Generally speaking, this recommendation quota is not available to everyone, and ordinary students have never even heard of it.
At the level of prefects and academicians, the division has already been completed.
This is because of his potential.
No, it’s also because of Mr. Wu Tang’s two paintings.
We still have to wait and see which one to choose.
Without saying anything else, let’s first take a look at the essays of other candidates who took the exam.
These articles were not difficult to buy. In addition to the juren of previous years, the main competitors were the new juren.
The essays of newly-appointed candidates are easy to buy, and the records of provincial examinations in various places are basically already available in major bookstores.
I should look for articles from previous years.
However, in the capital, many people want to read the articles written by students taking the same exam, and some bookstores even have lists of key candidates.
In their words, all the excellent essays of this year's new candidates are gathered here for everyone's convenience in learning.
The bookstore even has a list.
First, list the names of those talented but unsuccessful candidates.
Then the top scorers from the twenty-six prefectures of Tianqi State are listed.
The prefectures of Tianqi State were equivalent to many provinces of the imperial court, but were more dispersed, and these Jieyuan were the first in each prefecture.
From this perspective, Ji Yuan was the first to build the Meng Mansion.
But there are still twenty-five more like him.
There are also some people on the list who are talented people from the Imperial College in the capital.
The names of these people are at the top, and major bookstores believe that they are most likely to pass the imperial examinations.
The era of genius that countless people in Jianmeng Mansion believe in is just one of many lists in the capital.
Also because of his age, family background, and fame in the capital, he is ranked very low.
When Ji Yuan, Monk Bai, and Gao Lao Si went to buy books, they listened to the list of names. Gao Lao Si said, "Only Ji Yuan's name is on the list, and he's ranked over 50."
More than fifty people, that is, these bookstores estimate that Jiyuan’s result should be in the top three.
There is no need to elaborate on how useless the top three hospitals are.
I just heard someone say, "The list of names in their bookstore is pretty much the same every year. Last year, there were 33 people in the second class, and they guessed 20 of them correctly!"
This ratio is really not small.
Therefore, anyone who is on the list and is at the front will feel relieved.
In other words, as long as one can be on this list, one will be very happy, as if one has already passed the imperial examination.
Ji Yuan looked at his name, fifty-nine.
According to the other party's estimation, I would definitely be in the top three.
Ji Yuan said: "Let's buy the article first."
"This is a collection of their articles. One copy costs fifteen taels of silver." The waiter didn't even raise his eyes.
How much? !
Gao Laosi was shocked: "Fifteen taels?!"
Not to mention Jianmeng Mansion, even in Zhengrong County where books are relatively expensive, the price of a book would not be as high as fifteen taels.
"This is a collection of articles. Our boss used his connections in various provinces to get the articles from various prefectures and schools. Do you think it's easy?" The waiter said directly, "Go away, if you can't do it, you can just chip in the money and don't block my business."
So that's how it happened.
The boss behind this bookstore is very powerful and has good relations with many people from the provincial school.
Relying on these connections, getting articles from the provincial school would definitely cost a lot of money.
That’s why this book sells for a very high price.
One book costs fifteen taels and contains the best articles from each province.
There are also articles by students of the Imperial College, which are bound according to the so-called rankings, from one to seventy.
If it were put into today's context, would this be a collection of selected essays?
Monk Bai asked, "When you were ranking, did you read the articles?"
Monk Bai thought to himself, if he had read Ji Yuan’s article, he would not have ranked him 59th.
"What do you know? Do you only look at the essay? Don't you look at one's background or where one studied? I tell you, the admission rate for students who studied at the Imperial College is higher than that for students from other places!"
After these words were spoken, many students who came to buy books looked unhappy.
Ji Yuan smiled: "Take one."
After saying this, he took out the fifteen taels of silver, which really hurt his flesh.
If he hadn't sold a painting, I really wouldn't have been willing to buy it.
What that guy said should not be false.
In modern terms, it should be called admission rate.
However, he remembered reading an article in his previous life that talked about ancient scientific expeditions.
One of the rankings is which places have the lowest admission rates and the smallest proportion of candidates passing the exams.
Surprisingly, the first place is not Jiangsu and Zhejiang, nor Fujian, nor Jiangxi.
But Yunnan and Guizhou.
Of course, this is not a fixed number. The court will make adjustments based on the circumstances, but since they are involved in it, they will definitely feel it more deeply.
While waiting for the court to change, they could only passively accept it and had no chance of doing anything about it.
Ji Yuan suddenly thought of something.
Policy changes.
This one should also be taken into consideration.
Normally, if he takes the exam again in three years, he will be very safe. He is not bragging, but he can definitely get into the second place.
But what if the policy changes?
It’s hard to say.
Just talking about last year's provincial examination, it suddenly lasted for six days and five nights, and many candidates could not bear the pressure.
This needs to be taken into consideration as well.
After buying books, pens, inkstones, and paper, Gao Lao Si said, "Things in the capital are too expensive."
These papers were much more expensive than when they bought them in the capital.
Ji Yuan thought for a moment and said, "Maybe we bought it in the wrong place. Let's go to the outer city tomorrow to have a look."
There are many students here, so the price might go up.
The three of them randomly found a restaurant and planned to eat before going back.
Wuying and his men were called to the Fifth Prince's residence today and they would probably not be back until evening.
"This is too boring. There isn't even a single name of a student from Yunnan or Guizhou." One of them said with an accent.
Ji Yuan glanced at them and saw that they were also holding collections of articles in their hands, but like most people, they only flipped through the rankings and did not read the content of the articles.
Yunnan and Guizhou are too far away, so it might be difficult to write the article.
But Ji Yuan knew one thing: in recent years, the academic atmosphere there has been booming and there are many students.
However, the imperial court provided few vacancies for the imperial examination, which was one of the reasons for the fierce competition.
It is estimated that the students there have just started to emerge in recent years, but the relationship with the bookstore owner has not yet been established, so the names of the articles are not included.
"Perhaps, this thing doesn't count." Monk Bai looked at Ji Yuan, "I don't think you will rank in the 50s."
"I think this collection seems rigorous, but it is actually full of loopholes."
“There are so many articles written by students all over the world, it’s impossible to collect them all here.”
The student from Yunnan and Guizhou next to him is an example. Another one is: "Last August, the provincial examination was held. The results were announced at the end of August. The essays were sent to the capital and then compiled into a book. I guess the person who compiled the book didn't even read the essays. He just arranged them according to his impression."
Monk Bai explained it clearly and Ji Yuan nodded. After he bought the book and heard what the clerk said, he probably knew that he had made a loss by buying the book.
Fortunately, articles cannot be faked, so you can just take a look at their articles.
But Monk Bai was really standing up for Ji Yuan.
After experiencing what happened at Qingyun Temple, Monk Bai really admired Ji Yuan.
Ji Yuan smiled and said, "They rank themselves and we take our test."
Ji Yuan probably already had an idea in his mind.
He was still determined to take the exam seriously.
Not to mention that I am inclined towards this.
Furthermore, those who control the points will not have a good ending!
No, no one knows how the situation will change, let alone what will happen in three years.
Instead of waiting for fate to decide, it is better to take the initiative.
Be it second class or third class.
They are all his achievements.
Besides, even if he gets into the top three, he may still be able to achieve something.
Ji Yuan's mind suddenly became clear and he no longer thought about what happened next.
Let's take a step back.
There are many talented people taking the imperial examination this year. Maybe even if he takes the exam seriously, he will still fail.
When the time comes, I will go to the Imperial Academy to study diligently, and all my hard work this time will not be in vain.
"Let's eat, and then we'll go back to study. There are only forty-five days left until the imperial examination."
Forty-five days, one and a half months.
Who wouldn’t feel uneasy after hearing this?
If you pass the exam, you will be a Jinshi and can become an official.
If you fail the exam, you may even be "exiled" to the secondary list and sent to the county school to teach.
There is a world of difference between heaven and earth.
After becoming a juren, he was surrounded by carriages, horses, and servants.
If you become a Jinshi, the glory is self-evident.
They ate faster, and so did the students in the restaurant next door.
There is only one and a half months left.
In this month and a half, nothing else mattered to them.
Apart from reading, it's all about reading.
I get up at Yinshi in the morning and read articles first, then look at the contemporary essays in recent years, which may number in the thousands or even hundreds.
Analyze how other candidates write and then see what famous writers say.
Wuying and his team even got a list of this year's imperial examination examiners.
Since the exam was held in the capital, there was no supervising official, and the score started directly from the chief examiner.
This is not cheating, but something that all students preparing for the exam will prepare for.
There are probably two candidates for chief examiner this year.
One is the Grand Secretary of Wenyuan Pavilion, who also serves as the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and is now a third-rank official, Grand Secretary Chu.
The other is Li Shoufu, the chief minister of Wenyuan Pavilion, who also serves as the prince's tutor and the minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and is a second-rank official.
Both of them are Hanlin officials. Just by looking at their ranks, you can tell that they hold high positions and great power.
There are some differences between them. Scholar Chu has a wide range of social contacts and has very good personal relations with officials in the Jiangnan area.
He is 56 years old this year and has been able to sit in this position, which makes him a candidate for the next prime minister.
Li Shoufu came from a prominent family. Although he also came to power through the imperial examination, his family had a long history of learning and had been one of the local prominent families since the previous dynasty.
He is sixty-three years old and will soon retire.
However, the emperor wanted him to work until he was 75 before leaving.
Generally speaking, it is time to pass away when one is about 65, but Prime Minister Li is still in good health and can probably live until 70.
But the emperor said that he would let him return home when he was 75.
I don’t know what others think, but I guess Scholar Chu wants to cry out loud.
When Wu Ying introduced the two examiners, he also mentioned these gossips.
The two examiners have different personalities, so the questions they ask are naturally different.
The Grand Secretary of Chu State attached great importance to the rule of people and stressed that only talented people could govern the country.
Prime Minister Li attached great importance to people's livelihood and believed that talented people should also have morals.
These are all private summaries, and no one knows the details.
Even the Wuying men had only met these two important officials a few times.
It was during last year’s autumn hunting.
The emperor was also there at the time, and as candidates selected through the military examination, they naturally had to go and pay their respects to him.
Wu Renhao did say something: "They all seem to have good tempers."
Ji Yuan raised an eyebrow.
One is a third-rank official, and the other is a second-rank official.
Do you all have good tempers?
These are all old foxes who have become cunning and shrewd. It is a bit inappropriate to describe them as having good tempers.
Speaking of which, Wuying and his men only went to the Cuju field at the Fifth Prince's house once a few days ago. Why haven't they been there recently?
"The people at the stadium told us to keep a low profile recently because the Fifth Prince is in a bad mood."
"Anyway, you don't have to play football!"
If we talk about Jianmeng Mansion, they play football because they really like it.
Now, that's kind of annoying.
It’s a good thing that you don’t have to play football!
They would rather use this time to practice archery more!
Wang Li and his gang must be unhappy, but it has nothing to do with them. They really want to make a name for themselves through their own abilities, and don't want to play football just to entertain others.
If it was a regular competition, it would be fine.
But they had nothing to do but play football with princes and nobles. They felt that they were not officials at all, but just tools for the nobles to have fun.
Wu Ying and others naturally had opinions.
Now I don’t have to go, I’m basically just enjoying it secretly.
Ji Yuan was also happy for them. Besides being happy, he spent his free time reading the "Imperial Examination Collection" which he bought for fifteen taels of silver.
It’s similar to what Monk Bai said. Those who are ranked at the top are basically students from the Imperial College, from first to eighth, without exception.
When it comes to the ninth and tenth, they are two people from Jiangsu and Zhejiang.
The subsequent order is based on the number of candidates taking the exam in each location.
Judging from the time, this bookstore really does not have the time to sort the books carefully, let alone sort them according to the quality of the articles.
Ji Yuan watched and noticed something.
Maybe the other party is not arranged randomly?
There is no best in literature. If we were to rank them seriously, there would definitely be people who would disagree.
Since the other party will not accept it, just rank them randomly. Anyone can tell at a glance that the ranking is randomly chosen and won't care.
Ji Yuan wanted to laugh. These bookstores were really interesting.
Starting from the first article, he is the top-ranked student in the Imperial College this year. He comes from a prominent family and is 20 years old this year. Many people say that he will definitely be in the second place.
His article talks about "those who follow the will of Heaven will survive", which is quite similar to Confucius' idea of "respecting the elders".
Respecting the noble means dividing people into many levels. The lowly ones must obey the will of the noble ones and believe that the privileges of the nobility are their due.
From "respecting the emperor" to "serving the emperor with utmost courtesy", it means being loyal to the emperor and being willing to sacrifice one's life.
It can be said to be a very standard article about loyalty to the emperor.
Seeing that this article is ranked first, the people in the bookstore are really amazing.
It looks like a random arrangement, but there is actually a lot of meaning behind it.
Isn’t it just fifteen taels?
He can pretend not to feel sad!
The first three articles are pretty much the same and are typical imperial examination articles, not seeking to be gorgeous but to be error-free.
His loyalty to the emperor is evident on the paper.
Ji Yuan focused on analyzing the essays written by students of the Imperial Academy.
Again, they are in the capital, and many of the teachers are even one of the examiners this time.
If you want to understand the general trend of the exam questions, it is definitely a good idea to see what the students at the Imperial College focus on reviewing.
Ji Yuan also shared this matter with Monk Bai and Gao Laosi.
They were both shocked. Ji Yuan actually analyzed so many things from this collection?
They thought it was useless.
How could it be useless? Ji Yuan then said, "Looking at the questions in each place, you can roughly guess what the examiners like."
"The exam questions for our Jian Meng Mansion give me a feeling of being underappreciated."
"The problem for Guangdong and Guangxi is to look overseas."
"The questions for the border guards are mostly about giving advice on guarding the border."
Questions about the capital?
As soon as they saw it, they both saw the key.
Be loyal to the king.
This is indeed true, this is the imperial city, under the feet of the emperor.
What else can I write about if not loyalty to the emperor?
It seems that there will be no problem if I write around this aspect.
Ji Yuan then gave his own analysis: "The current policy is relatively relaxed. I think the emperor would also like everyone to praise this aspect. If you have a question about it, you can give it a try."
Ji Yuan then analyzed the policy papers and pointed to the Book of Shangshu that Bai Heshang was studying, and marked several areas: "Perhaps this is the most suitable for review."
"What about mine?" Gao Laosi asked quickly. He was studying the Book of Changes. Which part did Ji Yuan think would be tested?
Ji Yuan actually guessed a little bit.
If they were not his own people, Ji Yuan would definitely not tell them.
Ji Yuan analyzed and analyzed, and even wrote down the scope of what he was talking about.
Fortunately, they were talking in the room. After Ji Yuan finished speaking, he paused, asked them to memorize it, and then threw it into the fire.
Gao Laosi was still dumbfounded: "Why did it burn?"
Ji Yuan said: "If I really guessed it right, I can't explain it."
Can't explain?
Monk Bai nodded and burned the notes made by the two.
Only then did Gao Laosi understand.
If I guessed wrong, it would be fine, but if I guessed right, I really can’t explain it.
If someone saw these notes, they might think they cheated in the imperial examination.
Moreover, he had a vague feeling that there should be no problem with the scope of the era.
Ji Yuan not only has this collection, but also the questions from the Imperial College in recent years.
After reading these things, he finally had some ideas.
I was speaking more and more fluently just now, and I couldn't help but speak out.
Ji Yuan even laughed: "This is my first time guessing the question, so I won't be particularly accurate."
"Let's review carefully. If I say something wrong, it will be very troublesome."
The three of them laughed.
That's true.
But no matter how I think about it, I feel that Ji Yuan’s idea is correct.
During the following review, Monk Bai and Gao Laosi couldn't help but follow Ji Yuan's rhythm.
As for the questions for the imperial examination, they were also selected from the Four Books and Five Classics.
But for the candidates who have studied today, ordinary examinations are not difficult for them, so all their essays must be concise and clear in meaning.
Sometimes the scope of the imperial examination would be expanded to include some content that was not included in the Four Books and Five Classics, but was instead supplementary content that appeared in the papers.
What?
Never learned it?
Then why are you still a Jinshi?
The contents of the Four Books will also be more inclined towards the interpretation version of "Zhu Xi's Original Meaning", and must be applied proficiently.
When answering exam essays, you must also follow Zhu Xi's interpretation of the original meaning, and you must also come up with new ideas.
The Five Classics also have their own regulations.
These are all very difficult for scholars. Now you are a juren, shouldn’t you be more proficient in them?
Therefore, this kind of examination is somewhat disadvantageous to the newly-appointed juren who just became a juren last year.
For the same exam, others have three years longer to prepare than you, so you should focus on reviewing.
You have just finished the previous exam and the second exam is coming soon, it really doesn't look good.
So whether it was Dr. Luo or the instructors, they all left a way out for Ji Yuan.
Since so much has been said today, Ji Yuan simply explained the differences between the top three and said to Monk Bai and Gao Lao Si: "So, if you get into the top three, maybe it's better not to take the exam."
The two were stunned, and then burst into laughter.
"What a great era! Are you here to show off?"
"Ji Yuan, you know that being able to pass the imperial examination is already rare in this world. After passing the imperial examination, who would be picky?"
Monk Bai smiled and shook his head: "When we first started school, we also felt that we had some talent, but after going to the prefectural capital and then to the capital, we were actually quite smooth sailing. But compared to a true genius, we are still a long way off."
Not to mention anything else, there were twenty-six top scorers in the imperial examination.
The top three capitals from each state basically occupy most of the top three positions.
Those of them who ranked low in their own mansions probably had an idea of this in their minds.
"It's already very good to be in the top three. We don't mind." Gao Laosi said with a smile.
Alas, this is the difference between people.
But let’s be honest, are they sad in private?
There are definitely times of loss.
But no matter what, they have to cheer up. After all, compared to others, they are much better off.
So Ji Yuan struggled for a long time and told them about it, but they just laughed.
Whether or not to get the honor of being in the top three is a question for Ji Yuan, but for them, it is clearly an encouragement!
Who can pass the metropolitan examination the second year after the provincial examination?
Absolutely genius!
Ji Yuan scratched his head and said that he had indeed said too much today.
The three of them took a rare break.
To be honest, after learning so much, I no longer have any other ideas.
There is still one month left before the exam.
Whether you can pass the exam and how well you learn are basically determined.
You can even cram for the Tongkat Ali exam.
I will definitely fail the provincial examination and the imperial examination.
Only after he cleaned up the books that had just been burned and made sure they were all burned did Ji Yuan feel relieved.
They were talking inside the house when they heard banging on the door outside.
Who is it?
Most people don’t dare to knock on the door.
Everyone around here knows that the people living here are members of the Cuju team under the Fifth Prince.
Wu Ying and others wiped the sweat from their heads, put down their bows and arrows, and watched the servants go to open the door.
Ji Yuan and the others also came out.
They knew the person who broke the door.
Wang Li and his gang of hooligans from Qinglan Prefecture.
When Wang Li saw Ji Yuan and Monk Bai, he frowned subconsciously.
Of these two men, one is young but very strange, and the other is a monk.
But he will not forget that these two people are also very good at playing Cuju.
"You two, do you want to join the Fifth Prince's Cuju team? It's much better than taking the exam! Anyway, this is your first exam this year, so you're sure to fail!"
Wang Li has also been here for more than a year and is very familiar with the situation in the capital: "As long as you please the prince, you can even go to the Imperial Academy to study!"
Wang Li thought he had put forward an attractive condition, but whether it was Ji Yuan or the monk, no one said anything.
Wang Li was very angry. He had been very anxious and irritated recently. He felt very uncomfortable. Finally, he stared at Wu Ying, Wu Renhao, and Liu Jun: "What about you?! You don't think that if the Cuju team is gone, you will have a real job?"
They were arguing here, and there were people outside looking in.
Two hooligans quickly went to close the door and chased the man away.
Wang Li looked at the ball in the yard, picked it up and said, "Why don't you like to play football?! Huh?!"
Ji Yuan had met Wang Li before. He was a football hooligans with some brains, otherwise he wouldn't have played football in the capital.
He even became a member of the Cuju team supported by princes and nobles.
I've never seen him so flustered.
Amid their incoherent complaints, Ji Yuan pieced together the truth.
When they were playing football at Qinglan Prefecture School, they only thought about using their status as prefectural students, which made their lives much easier.
When they found out that they were chosen to be sent to the Fifth Prince's team, they were completely dumbfounded.
them?
As a gift to the prince? !
They are human beings!
The other party just said: "You are part of the team."
At first they were dissatisfied, but after coming to Beijing and enjoying everything here, they were grateful that they could play football and they were quite good at it.
Isn’t it just playing football with these nobles? What’s the big deal?
Although the prince’s toys include more than just this team, there is still a lot of fun to be had.
But as long as they play well and beautifully, they will become the prince's favorite entertainment.
Later, Wuying and his men came over and even passed the military examination, with Wu Renhao taking fifth place.
Before Wang Li felt jealous, he heard that the Fifth Prince had asked for people to come over because they could also play football.
Wang Li felt unhappy, but at the same time he felt that Wuying played really well.
And after they formed a team, they indeed played all over the capital, and countless teams lost to them.
The days that followed got better and better.
He saw things he had never seen before and enjoyed a life he had never enjoyed before.
I thought it would always go on like this.
But from last winter until March this year, the Fifth Prince seemed to have lost interest in Cuju and did not look for them at all.
What will they do next?
Wang Li knew very well that these people existed just to entertain the prince.
Now that the prince doesn't treat them as fun, they're finished!
Everything in the capital is over!
Ji Yuan looked at the expressions of Wang Li and the others and had an indescribable feeling.
He suddenly thought of Lord Xu, the supervisor of the construction of Meng Mansion in the 34th year of Huayuan.
One of the main reasons why Lord Xu dislikes the child prodigy is because the Emperor likes him.
Because the emperor likes them, many "child prodigies" have appeared, and even now the Imperial College is raising a ruined child.
The story of Cuju is the same as that of "child prodigy".
The people above like it, so the people below try their best to give it to them.
In fact, the Fifth Prince may not really like it. To him, it is just a matter of words.
Ji Yuan was just thinking about it, but unexpectedly Wang Li looked straight at him and said, "And you, those martial arts candidates in Wuying have a hard time."
"Do you think that you, the scholars, will have an easy life?!"
"The civil service examination is held every three years, and more than a hundred people are selected each time. Many of them don't get a job. Do you really think that everything will be fine if you pass the exam?!"
"It's better to cling to the nobles and get any official position you want!"
"Wait until you are exiled to some remote place, and then just wait to cry!"
Wu Renhao stood up and pushed Wang Li away. Wang Li, a strong man, was pushed to the ground by him.
"Shut up."
Do you have any conscience to say these things to people who are about to go on a scientific expedition?
Wu Renhao had also taken the military examination, so he naturally knew the importance of mood before the exam.
Monk Bai and Gao Laosi frowned slightly, obviously not expecting to know these cruel truths before the exam.
But what Wang Li said is not wrong.
Even if I really pass the exam, it seems like I can’t do anything?
Just look at Wu Renhao and the others.
Wu Renhao even ranked fifth in the martial arts examination and was praised by the emperor.
Now he is not a member of the team of the Emperor's youngest son.
Faced with Wu Renhao's oppressive feeling, Wang Li dared not say anything more.
His words hit the nail on the head.
Neither Monk Bai nor Gao Laosi are people who are easily discouraged.
They were able to remain calm in the face of a genius like Ji Yuan, and thought it was also good enough to get into the top three.
But if you work hard to pass the exam, there is still no result.
This is indeed unacceptable.
Ji Yuan walked towards him slowly, and Wang Li realized that Ji Yuan was taller than him.
Ji Yuan asked, "Why do you have to cry when you go to a remote place?"
"Now that you've seen the prosperity of the capital, will you still go back to your small county town?!"
Wang Li said directly: "Do you still want to live in the dilapidated temple of Qiyan Temple?"
He thought that even if Ji Yuan refuted, he would hesitate for a moment, but unexpectedly, Ji Yuan smiled and said, "Why not?"
Ji Yuan said: "The opening chapter of the Book of Rites says that the way of the university is to manifest the bright virtue, to love the people, and to stop at the highest good."
Ji Yuan looked at Monk Bai, Gao Laosi, and even Wuying and the others.
At the beginning of university, we talk about the purpose and meaning of learning.
They are now studying the books of sages for the purpose of imperial examinations, but some of the things in them do make sense.
For example, the beginning of university.
It talks about what purpose people should achieve, what they should do, and what goals they should have during learning.
Have you really read so much just for scientific research?
Ji Yuan mentioned another person.
Lord Lin.
The former county magistrate of Zhengrong County.
"When Lord Lin was sent to Zhengrong County, he was there to put out a fire."
"Zhengrong County at that time was full of corruption, officials and businessmen were in collusion, and officials were tyrannical."
"But what about now?"
"What tone do people in Jianmeng's mansion use when they mention Zhengrong County now?"
"At that time, Lord Lin was a juren, and Teacher Cheng was also a juren. Didn't they do a good job?"
"They didn't pass the imperial examination, so they didn't understand the way of university study?"
Not only did they understand it, they also absorbed it and even integrated what they knew into practice.
Now that we are already juren, can't we learn from Lord Lin and others?
"If I were sent to a remote, even wild place, I would also learn from Master Lin."
"Why are you crying? Why not get up and work and plow a few more acres for the cows?"
Gao Laosi just laughed out loud.
Seems to be correct?
To be honest, they felt like a stone was pressing on their hearts ever since they saw Wuying and his men's current situation.
Now hearing Ji Yuan's comfort, he mentioned Lord Lin from Zhengrong County.
It seems that what Ji Yuan said is not wrong.
Even if they didn’t pass the exam, so what? They are still young.
Even if they pass the exam but are not valued, so what? Can't they change the world with their knowledge?
It does seem a bit of a waste to use all their knowledge only for the imperial examinations?
"You laughed at Wuying for not knowing how to curry favor with the nobles, and thought he was not panicking when the Cuju team might be disbanded."
"Of course they are not panicking. They still have martial arts and knowledge. They are waiting for an opportunity to show their skills. What about you?"
Wang Li, who had originally fallen to the ground, now felt his limbs go weak and he couldn't even get up.
What is he waiting for?
He can't wait for anything.
In the more than one year since he came to the capital, he has been busy eating, drinking and having fun.
Some people also said that it would be a good idea to save some money and then go back to your hometown to start a small business.
But he didn't listen.
When he faced Ji Yuan, a feeling of inferiority rose from the bottom of his heart.
Wang Li could see that Ji Yuan was telling the truth.
Ji Yuan wasn't talking to himself, he was trying to comfort his friends.
Be it the military examination or the civil examination.
All they need is an opportunity.
Because they have real skills.
After Wang Li and others ran away, Ji Yuan looked at the passers-by around him.
The noise in the yard eventually spread out.
But there is nothing to gossip about what they said.
Whatever you say makes sense.
Before the imperial examination, there were many noisy scholars.
That being said, it would be better for Ji Yuan and the others to talk inside the house from now on.
When Ji Yuan turned around, Liu Jun swept away his previous sadness and held Ji Yuan's hand: "You are right, we have real talents and skills, and what we are waiting for is an opportunity."
"We have waited for more than eight years to get through the martial arts exam. Why should we be afraid of anything else?"
Wu Ying also nodded vigorously.
Yes, they will always wait for their chance.
And I will also fight for opportunities myself.
There is no need to feel sorry for yourself just because of playing Cuju.
Monk Bai looked at Ji Yuan and said, "Ji Yuan, when did you have this idea?"
"Is it in Qingyun Temple?"
Monk Bai had never understood why Ji Yuan would help Qingyun Temple "make money".
Or getting on the right track.
Now I seem to understand.
In Ji Yuan’s eyes, things are neither good nor bad, it just matters whether they can change people’s lives.
He is happy to benefit the people like Lord Lin did.
In his hands, Qingyun Temple has nothing to do with Buddhism or religion.
What he saw was that the monks' lives were getting better, the people living in the mountains benefited from it, and the poor students had no place to live.
What is Buddhism? This is something you monks should consider for yourselves.
He is more concerned with people.
Living people.
So he gave up the safer option of taking the exam again three years later, and even gave up the status of Imperial College that was within his grasp.
Even if he got top three, he would be willing.
Because his heart is no longer here, he wants to help more people and help them change their lives.
So it doesn’t matter whether it’s a second-class or third-class hospital.
He doesn't care.
He decided to take the exam seriously.
Ji Yuan did not shy away from answering and nodded, "Yes, I went back to my hometown and saw more possibilities."
It is a better possibility than concentrating on studying.
He has read the Four Books and Five Classics for many years, reading them over and over again.
By the end of the reading, it was no longer interesting.
The Four Books and Five Classics are certainly good books, but no book can be interpreted word for word over months and years.
It's like both empty talk and working behind closed doors.
It's more like a debate that goes on all the time.
Stop arguing.
Go out for a walk.
If he never returned to his hometown after the provincial examination.
If I had returned to my hometown and not seen the changes, I would have seen Qingyun Temple, which is in a different place but also in the same predicament.
Perhaps Ji Yuan will really choose the option given by his instructor.
Take the exam again in three years.
Then take the exam after entering the Imperial College.
It would be best if I could get first place.
He gave up.
No matter how the exam goes, he will try his best.
Even if he failed to pass the imperial examination, he would learn from Doctor Yin and be assigned to any county school where he could become a teacher.
Gao Laosi was speechless for a moment when he saw Ji Yuan like this.
Era, the era is really different.
His calmness made everyone feel as if nothing could stop them.
They have read books for so long and memorized so many articles.
It is not just for the imperial examination papers.
"Okay, if I fail the exam, I will also become a teacher."
"What's wrong with being a teacher? Maybe I can discover a good student like Ji Yuan."
The white monk nodded.
He also became a teacher.
After failing the exam, he went to teach students.
Confucius once had three thousand disciples. What's wrong with being a teacher?
Wuying, Wu Renhao and Liu Jun also got rid of their previous lethargy.
That’s right!
They are so talented, is there no place in the world for them?
They themselves can always accomplish things.
In March, there was not even a trace of impetuous atmosphere in their small courtyard.
It seemed to calm down instantly.
It's just an exam, so what?
It’s time to study, study; it’s time to read, read.
Take the exam when the time comes!
During this period, many fellow villagers came to visit them, and they were all surprised to see how calm the three of them were.
What else he said: "This time the examination will last for six days, and you are not allowed to go out for six days, aren't you anxious?"
There's no use being anxious.
The closer it got to the imperial examination, the more students came to the capital.
Wherever you go, it seems that everyone is discussing this year's imperial examination.
This year's chief examiner has also been officially confirmed.
The Chief Minister of Wenyuan Pavilion, a second-rank official, the 63-year-old Chief Minister Li.
The examiner confirmed that the exam was approaching step by step.
The atmosphere of the imperial examination gathered over the capital.
Whenever Ji Yuan went out to buy something, he could feel the different atmosphere of this place.
Then he went to the bookstore and planned to buy a new book that was just published this year, but he failed to buy it after going there several times.
As soon as I arrived, I heard the counter person say, "Ms. Cheng, you are so lucky. This book is selling well and it happens to be the last copy."
The last one?
Gone again?
Ji Yuan paused for a moment, and the other person happened to look over. Ji Yuan couldn't look directly at the person, so he avoided his gaze and turned sideways. He only said to the counter clerk: "When will the new batch of Five Classics Lecture Notes arrive? Can I order one first?"
Hearing the scholar's words, Cheng Yishan turned around, looked at the tall scholar again, thought for a moment and said, "I'll give this one to you."
Ji Yuan turned around with a surprised look.
"I think you need it for the scientific examination, so just take it. I'll wait for the next batch." She took the book just to read it herself and didn't particularly need it, so she gave it to the scholar who was preparing for the exam first.
Cheng Yishan gave the book to Ji Yuan and held out her hand: "Give me the money."
ah?
Ji Yuan then looked up. The girl in front of him was not very old and it was obvious that she was well protected. When she smiled, her eyes were curved and she looked smart.
Ji Yuan gave the money in full, and the other party turned around and left. The maid beside her pulled her own lady and walked away very quickly.
It was not until they left the bookstore that Cheng Yishan whispered, "This scholar is quite handsome."
Era: . . .
I heard it.
Ji Yuan looked down at the book in his hand, which was actually not needed for the imperial examination.
He just wanted to see what new views there were on the Five Classics.
Anyway, the imperial examination is like that, whether you can pass it depends entirely on God's will.
Ji Yuan left the bookstore, looked around, and then returned to his residence.
There are still ten days until the imperial examination.
Ji Yuan felt inexplicably relieved.
Take the exam, and everything will be fine once you finish it.
After the exam, we will know where he will go next.
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